The U.S. aims to ban the import of drones made by "foreign adversaries."
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on January 2 that it will examine how to protect drone technology and supply chains from foreign adversaries, particularly China and Russia.
The Bureau of Industry and Security of the department stated that it will conduct public consultations "to inform the development of security rules and the protection of information and communication technologies and services for drones."
The agency added that the involvement of foreign adversaries in "supply chains, including acute threats from China and Russia, could provide our opponents with remote access and manipulation capabilities over these devices, making U.S. confidential data vulnerable."
Currently, China produces the majority of drones in the world. The country has strained relations with the U.S., exacerbated by differing views on foreign policy, particularly China's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. support for Taiwan.
On May 9, the U.S. blacklisted 37 Chinese companies due to security concerns.
“Protecting the supply chain for drone technologies is crucial for safeguarding our national security. This (preparation of new security rules) is an important step in protecting the United States from vulnerabilities created by foreign entities,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on January 2.
If the proposed regulatory change is implemented, it could restrict or prohibit drones from countries that the U.S. considers foreign adversaries.
In March 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring Chinese parent company TikTok, ByteDance, to sell its stakes in the company within six months, or it would lose access to U.S. markets.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that Trump may halt the ban on TikTok upon taking office.
On August 16, Ukraine announced a ban on the use of software and websites from Russia and other sanctioned countries following high-profile cyberattacks that threatened Ukraine’s national security.